This is a rich collection of memories and reflections from the long-time abbot of La Trappe, Dom Marie-Gérard Dubois, OCSO. Starting with his entry into monastic life, he walks the reader through the dramatic changes in the Strict Observance of the Cistercian Order, including its liturgical reform and developments in the role of lay brothers. Dom Dubois also shares stories about the diverse group of men who entered the Order at that time, including WWII veterans, Holocaust survivors, and members of the French literary elite, and why they decided to become monks. His stories offer a fascinating inside view into twentieth-century Cistercian life.
"A deeply engaging and delightfully personalized glimpse into genuine monastic life and experience, including his own meaningful path to La Trappe. Much more than a memoir, Dubois's book whets our appetite to taste and see the conversatio morum of Trappist community, so personally and profoundly spread before us as though at table with the brothers. The English translation captures the narrative a
F. Tyler Sergent, Associate Professor of History and General Studies, Berea College, Kentu
"If you ever wondered what life is like in a monastery this is the book for you. Here is a man who lived the monastic life for sixty-four years in which he was abbot twenty-six of those years. Entering the monastery in 1947 he knew the 'old' intimately. He embraced Vatican II with open arms and was a leader not only in his own community as Abbot but also on the international scene at our General C
